Garrison, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,466,013 and 5,589,025, describes card intermediates which include a business form having one or more cards diecut into it and backed by a complex laminate of multi-ply film. Removability of the card is accomplished by splitting an adhesive interface in the backing by employing a rupturable adhesive. Some of the splittable adhesive randomly stays with the form and some of it goes with the card. It is not universally acceptable to have the adhesive split randomly and transfer either way for aesthetic purposes where the adhesive residue mars the graphics on the card.
Fischer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,736,212, describes card intermediates which include a business form having one or more cards diecut into it and backed by a complex laminate of multi-ply film and/or paper. Removability of the card is accomplished by employing a “peel-glue” adhesive that exhibits a removable adhesive property at the interface of the removable piece and a permanent adhesive property that adheres the adhesive solely to the form when the piece is removed. All of the adhesive stays with the base layer that remains attached to the form after the diecut piece is removed. This invention is not universally accepted because while not very sticky, the adhesive still retains slight tack in the commercial product sold. When a form is stored tight in a file with other materials, especially smooth papers and films that are pressed in intimate contact with the peel adhesive, clinging between the forms can occur. Deadening the adhesive further could result in possible pre-release of the card as the integrated card is made in the form or the finished form is handled (folded, inserted into a mailer, etc.) in normal handling. Since all of the adhesive stays in the form after removal of the card, signature compatibility on the back of the form is not universally acceptable.
Casagrande, U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,497, describes card intermediates which include a business form having one or more cards diecut into it and backed by a complex laminate of multi-ply film and/or paper. Removability of the card is accomplished by transferring the adhesive interface to the backing by employing a deadening coated film (release) layer on top of a permanent adhesive. All of the permanent adhesive with the release layer adhered to it and transferred over it as a deadening layer staying with the form when removed. It is not universally acceptable to have the release layer stay with the form if the card is to be written on (signature compatible). The commercial product sold under this patent uses dry adhesive edges (no adhesive) to act as lift tabs at the card edge. They are used to begin to lift the release layer (that has tight adhesion to hold the card in the form) off of the card. This is done to facilitate transfer of the adhesive and release layer to the form without tearing the paper remaining in the form because there is not an easy release area at some point at the card edge.
Casagrande, U.S. Published Patent Application No. 20010015554 A1 Aug. 23, 2001, describes card intermediates which include a business form having one or more cards diecut into it and backed by a laminate of multi-ply film. Removability of the card is accomplished by transferring the adhesive interface with coated film release layer covering the permanent adhesive as a deadening agent to the back of the card. All of the permanent adhesive and the release layer stays with the card and cures to a solid film after drying that produces a signature compatible card that can be written on.
Schwarzbauer, U.S. Published Patent Application No. 20020000718 A1 Jan. 3, 2002, describes card intermediates which include a business form with a multi-layered laminate patch secured to the base paper layer having one or more cards diecut into it. The laminate has a primary film layer having top and bottom surfaces and a periphery, which is preferably chemically and mechanically bonded directly to a layer of breakaway coating. The bond between the breakaway coating and primary film layer is designed to release and allow the layers to separate. The advantage of the invention is the breakaway layer composition which is applied as a liquid and cures to a solid and is applied in varied patterns or thicknesses or may be chemically varied in patterns using different compounds in areas across the card when coated in order to allow variation in peel strengths in different areas of the primary film layer. One embodiment incorporates an area with an increased peel strength or tighter release in the center of the laminated card with an area of weaker peel strength at the outside edge of the patch positioned such that the die cut for the card will extend ¼″ beyond the center zone of the patch with the tight release. This positions the edge of the card in the area of the card with the easy release. Another embodiment teaches a pattern in either the adhesive coating or breakaway layer while another teaches the use of tighter areas on the edges just outside the perimeter of the diecut card with easy release in the card area. The invention works in concept but in production the process is difficult to control in terms of different degrees of peel strength across a film being pattern coated by using different thicknesses of coating as coating rolls wear and coating weight changes due to foam or temperature changes during a coating run. In addition, without controlling dyne level, changes in the natural dyne level of the incoming primary web which can vary in excess of 4 dynes produce inconsistent results. Following the teaching of using different compounds which must be applied in a registered pattern complicates the manufacturing process of the laminate. In addition, using multiple coating stations further complicates the process and increases the cost which is not desirable. Not only is the process of manufacturing the laminate complicated, secondary slitting of smaller rolls out of a master must be done in register to the pattern which is difficult and time consuming. Lastly, the end user producing the form must die cut in register to the coated pattern of different coat weights, patterned adhesive or breakaway coating or areas of different coated chemistry. A more universally manufacturable and useable product where a user could cut anywhere in the patch to begin removal of the card is preferred.
Fischer, U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,340 describes a “peeling adhesive” as also detailed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,736,212 with an adhesive layer or layers that transfer to the back of the card instead of staying in the form. The novelty of the technology of U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,340 is that the peel glue layer can receive indicia which corrects for the short-coming of U.S. Pat. No. 5,736,212 technology not being signature compatible without the use of a separate pre-coating of a film layer as in Casagrande 20010015554. Fischer provides detail on the “peel glue” or “peeling adhesive” that has the dual function of adhesive and signature compatibility layer. The peeling adhesive system achieves the differential adhesive effects by pre-treatment using plasma, corona or flame treatment on the film layer where the bond is permanent (can not be peeled) and no treatment on the film for the other layer where the bond is not permanent (peelable). The peeling adhesive can have the same issues of tack as discussed above. Test cards made from substrate and peel adhesive obtained commercially that were placed in a wallet with other cards as will be done in practice showed that the peel glue will stick to another card. While it can be re-peeled and removed, this is not universally acceptable.
Hoffman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,430, and its divisional, U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,804 (both having in the meantime expired), disclose and claim a method of making plastic web materials which are selectively treated in a patterned manner with corona discharge for forming into containers. The variable corona pattern described in the Hoffman Patents was intended to create areas of weak sealability or bond of thermally sealable adhesive layers in the areas of treatment.
The present state of the art shows that easy lift cards can be integrally formed by diecutting multilayer laminates if one is willing to use extra steps and materials and that a single layer will suffice if one is willing to turn the business form over and punch the card out without leaving a layer in the form. One could use cards with a peel glue where a slight tack can remain on the form or the back of the card. Furthermore, an alternative approach is available if adhesives of two different strengths are used, or by patterning the adhesive, or by using a deadener, or even by using a patterned adhesive release deadener with a permanent adhesive, or cured breakaway coatings using different application patterns, different compounds in multiple applications or different thicknesses or areas of no breakaway or adhesive to achieve different peel strength characteristics.
The use of patterned adhesives, patterned release layers, multiple adhesives, selectively cured adhesives, release coatings, peel adhesives cured breakaway coatings using different application patterns, different compounds in multiple applications or different thicknesses or areas of no breakaway or adhesive to achieve different peel strength characteristics or combinations of the forgoing to create different levels of release. Sufficient adhesion on corona treated or non corona treated film layers has been necessary in the prior art to create removable but firmly adherent integrated cards to ensure that the card can be easily lifted at an edge to begin to disengage the card from the form, while other areas of the card patch integrated with the form have a tighter releasable bond than the lift area to maintain adhesion of the card to the form. This is necessary after die cutting so the card does not prematurely remove from the form due to the significant stiffness difference between the laminated card area in contrast to stiffness of the remaining base layer as the form is processed, folded, inserted and handled through automatic mail processing equipment. If the adhesion of the card at the interface with the layer remaining in the form is too loose, the card can prematurely remove in processing before reaching the end user. If the adhesion of the card is too tight, lifting and edge and removabilty is difficult which can result in damage to the card or form during attempted removal of the card.
This invention provides for an improved process for making an integrated card by simplifying the process by using areas of variable surface treatment alternating from higher treatment level (dyne level) in judiciously selected patterns on the same layer of film (not different layers as in Fischer). Variable treatment is defined as the application of different energy levels to the surface of a polymer substrate in a variety of patterns. The invention provides for easy separation of adhesive bonding layers (Fischer) or adhesive and deadening release agent (Casagrande) in any area of the card without the use of special “peel adhesives”, patterned adhesives, cured breakaway coatings using different application patterns, different compounds in multiple applications, different thicknesses, areas of no breakaway or adhesive to achieve different peel strength characteristics, patterned release deadening layers, splittable adhesives or combinations while producing an easily separable but firmly adherent card. The variable degree of separation strength in lesser- or non-treated areas allows for easy “pop” or separation of the layers in that area while securely bonding in higher treatment areas for controlled separation force. The terms “pop” and “separation force” strength mean respectively; the ability of a laminate to lift an edge to disengage from or “pop” free of another layer; the “separation” force or strength required to remove the card once it has been disengaged.
It has now been found that making a business form having an integral and removable portion is unexpectedly improved if at least one of the films used as laminae with the form is patterned in a judicious way during treatment to produce alternating areas of easy and tight separation strength of adhesives or release/deadening layers to allow for ease of removability with firm controlled separation.
It has also been found that the process for making the forms with removable cards is simplified, and an improved card is obtained, if a patterned “treated area” is caused to develop on the substrate in at least the shape of the card. A universal treatment pattern is defined for purposes of this invention as a pattern that will allow for easy separation of a perimeter die cut card at any area in an integrated laminate form while providing sufficient adhesion to prevent pre-separation of the die cut card during normal handling and processing, regardless of whether or not patterned or full coverage adhesives, release coatings, deadening agents, cured breakaway coatings, different application patterns, different compounds in multiple applications or different thicknesses or areas of no breakaway or adhesive are used to achieve different peel strength characteristics. Release or deadening layers in this art are also known as breakaway or fugitive layers that release or breakaway from one layer and transfer to a second layer to facilitate separation of the layers as defined in Casagrande. These layers do not “peel” in the classic sense of the art as an adhesive system does, rather they “breakaway” and become fugitive once the area of tightest bond has separated and removal force is applied.
Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide for the use of intermediates to make cards for use without the problems discussed above.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the present specification.